Kevin Love was sent to a team that are nowhere near to contending for the title – the Utah Jazz. For an NBA player his age, the most common route was chase to ring. He already got one championship so retiring after a decorated 17-year career should also be an option.
That’s not what happened. Instead, the five-time All-Star decided to go on and remain an NBA player. How did the Jazz convince him? The 2016 NBA champion said it was his teammates’ energy and passion.
“You can see it out there, it’s very authentic,” Love said during an interview with Forbes.
“I am enjoying myself, whether I’m playing or like the other night, when I was given the night off. I’m making sure that everybody’s having a good time and getting a lot out of their careers as well, and then still imparting wisdom and experience that I’ve had over my 18 years on a very young and hungry team. It’s nice to help them develop habits and develop a level of professionalism every day.”
The Jazz are indeed an exciting team with a number of young players who can make a leap in future seasons. They are led by Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George who combined for 80 points in thrilling double overtime win over the Chicago Bulls.
George, who also receives comparisons to Damian Lillard, hit the buzzer-beating shot to send his team to their fifth victory of the season.
Kevin Love thought about retiring
Love, 37, was acquired by the Jazz over the summer in a three-team trade that involved his former team Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers.
He was at first shocked by the development and thought about hanging it up. However, he found the organization accommodating and stopped entertaining the idea of retiring.
“When the trade happened, it’s like, ‘Okay, well, what is this going to look like if it doesn’t work out?’” he said.
”But on the other side of that, you never know until you show up. But the organization has been amazing all the way from ownership all the way down.”
Jazz fans love him now as a veteran presence in the team. He had his best game of the season so far against the Bulls when he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Yucky defensive communication from Chicago here
Not sure how you leave someone so open after an inbounds pass
They just completely forgot Kevin Love existed or something pic.twitter.com/zvXMjntF9O
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) November 17, 2025
Can we take a second to appreciate Kevin Love’s impact this season?
He’s willing to play when called on, he’s been a great voice in the locker room, and has been a great vibes guy
It would have been so easy for him to have a bad attitude and not suit up, he’s done the opposite pic.twitter.com/z15liQwWCn
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) November 15, 2025
For the latest Basketball Content
Make sure you are always updated on your favorite basketball players and teams. Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for the latest and trending news about NBA, college basketball, and more. Stay updated by reading more of our NBA articles by clicking here and college basketball by clicking here!
